The China Productivity Center organized a face-to-face training course on Greening Supply Chains through Industry 4.0 (I4.0), 22–26 July, in Taipei. The training was in line with the Green Productivity concept developed by the APO to strengthen the triple bottom line of enterprises, contribute to meeting the UN SDGs, and mitigate climate change.

Twenty-three delegates from 12 APO members attended the course, guided by five resource persons, one each from Australia, India, and the ROK, and two from the ROC, who provided guidance on the regulatory landscape, I4.0 interventions and strategies across supply chains, life cycle assessment, greenhouse gas protocols, digital measurement of ESG progress, and building internal data networks for enhancing business process efficiency. A virtual site visit to Everbiz Industrial Co., Ltd. allowed participants to gain firsthand knowledge of leveraging sustainability standards in greening processes and enterprises across the value chain. Group work on identifying stages requiring attention and suggesting options to reduce carbon emissions enhanced participants’ understanding of life cycle thinking. A key outcome of the course was a better understanding of the life cycle assessment of products and exposure to software to digitally measure ESG parameters and progress.

One attendee noted, “Hoping for more APO learning opportunities like this,” reaffirming the APO’s role as a clearinghouse for productivity information.